Zechariah 11

A prophecie of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation, verse 1. because of their great unthankfulness to Christ, their good and faithful shepherd, 4. whom they sold for thirty silverlings, 12. wherefore God would give them wicked leaders, for their destruction, 15.

1. Open thy doors [gates, strongholds, sorts, castles; here the prophet begins to foretell, that the Jewes, rejecting Christ and the preaching of the gospel, should be destroyed and scattered] O Lebanon, [the prophet turns his address to the woods and mountains, here and in the next verse: implying that nothing at all, shall be able to hinder or withstand God, when he is once resolved to punish: Lebanon is a mountain lying in the north-part of Canaan] that the fire may devour thy cedars. [i.e. that your enemies, and here by name the Romans, may take your cities and waste your country, and more especially the greatest and lostieth among you. See Jud. 9. on verse 15.]

2. Howl ye firre-trees [i.e. commons, the common and ordinarie people of the land] because the cedars are fallen; [i.e the chiefest and principal men among the Jews] because the glorious (trees) are wasted; [i.e. the most excellent of them all] howl ye oakes of Bashan, [i.e. ye mighty inhabitants of Bashan. Comp. Ezekiel 27:6.] because the strong wood [to wit, of Lebanon] is fallen down [Heb. Gone down, or come down. i.e. cut off; felled down.]

3. There is a voice of the howling of the herdsmen, [i.e. one hears the herdsmen or shepherd that is, the rulers and governours of the people, as well Ecclesiastical as civil, to howl and make greta and sad complaints] because their glory is wasted: [i.e. their people are destroyed, the chief glory of princes consisting in their people number and welfare; Proverbs 14:28. others understand here, by the glory, the temple, or the whole city of Jerusalem: some also, the whole countrie of Judea. See Daniel 11:16, 41.] a voice of the roaring of the yong lions, [viz the stout men of war] because the haughtinesse [or, excellencie] of Jordan, [i.e. of Juda, lying by the Jordan] is wasted.

4. Thus saith the LORD my God. Feed these slaughter-sheep: [understand the common people among the Jews, who were grievously oppressed by the great ones and accounted little better then sheep for the slaughter. This charge here of feeding them, was given to Zacharie in a vision, or under figure, to shew, that Christ, the true and chief shepherd of his church, had received command of his heavenly father, to take care for his poor people, that was so much oppressed by wicked governours. And this charge is likewise given, to all faith patours, in their respective functions under him.]

5. Whose possessours [i.e. governours, the mighty ones among the people, such as were the high-priest, Herod, the scribes, Pharisees, sadduces &c.] put them to death, [i.e. squeeze out their substance, by their greedy avarice, usurie, unjustice and violence] and hold it no guilt: [i.e. they are not troubled for it in their consciences: nor are they censured, taxed, judged or punished for it. Heb. They become not guilty] and every one of those that fell them, saith, blessed be God that I am grown rich, [the power which the great ones practice upon the poor, s grown so common, that the great one think, they are allowed to deal with the poor, as if they were their bondslaves, putting them to sale, as free and lawfull merchandize. And besides they dare ascribe that which they got upon their poor brethren by hook and crook, by all manner of oppression, violence and unjustice, unto the blessing of God. Compare Mat. 23.14, 15. c.] and none of them, that feed them, spares them. [i.e. none of their shepherds sapre them, nor shewes any pity or compassion on them. See Ezekiel 34:2, 3, 4, c.]

6. Surely, I shall no more spare the inhabitants of his land, saith the LORD: [understand this of those evil men, spoken of verse 5. who made farre the greatest number among the Jewes. But God the father notwithstanding would have Christ to take care of the poor slaughter-sheep, as also effectually he did, after his appearing in the flesh here on earth] but behold, I will deliver up the men, [Hebr. I shall cause the men to be found. See 2 Sam. 3.8. meaning the wicked Jewes] every one in the hand of his neighour, [i.e. I shall smite and destroy the one by the other. And so it came to passé; for by their civil, or intenstine divisions and seditions many thousands of the Jewes were miserably destroyed after that time. See josephus de bello Jud.lib.6. cap. 1. and 4.] and in his hand of his King; [after many differences betwixt the high-priest Aristobulus, Alexander and Hircanus, the Romans were called into Judea, who becoming masters of the Jewes, made and constituted Antipater and Herod the great, kings over them, who put most of the chiefest among the Jewes to death; yet some do here by the King, understand the Roman Emperour] and they [to wit, the Enemies of the Jewish Nation, whether they were the Romans, or others] shall smite them to shivers, [as with hammers] and I will not deliver them [or it, viz. the land] out of their hands.

7. Therefore have I fed [Or, will I feed, or keep: they are christ’s words] these slaughter-sheep, [see ab. Verse 4.] because they are afflicted sheep: [Oth. O ye most afflicted among the stock; understanding the pious and godly ones amons the Jewes] and I have taken me two stones; the one I called Pleasantnesse, [or amiablenesse. Oth. Keep the Hebrew word Noham, signifying pleasantnesse, and shewing, that the LORD is dealing very friendly and tenderly with the poor sinners] and the other I called Combinders, [Oth. Keep the Hebrew word Chobelim, or hobelim, that is to say; binders or Bands or Co-binders. The staff of Combinders shewed, that his care and endeavour was, to joyne and binde Juda and Israel together again. Oth. Render it destroyers or corrupters] and I did feed those sheep. [viz. the slaughter-sheep before mentioned:]

8. And I cut off three shepherds in one moneth, [i.e. in very short time; understanding by the shepherds, all the teachers of the Jewish people, who were divided into three sects, to wit, Pharisees, sadduces and Esseans. Others take it thus, that he had berest them of their Kings, priests and prophets; and abserve, that the things to come yet, are here set down in propheticall terms as if they were done already: by the cutting off, otherwise may also be understood, the convincing them of their false doctrines and dangerous Errours: but if it be meant of the wicked kings, priests and prophets; the cutting off, is as much as to say, keep off, or remove, or confound, destroy. And this is a mercy, which God promiseth unto his people, to wit, that he would take their evil governours from them, in token of his love and favour to them] for my soul was vaxed over them, [Hebr. My soul was shortned for their sakes, i.e. I could not endure them and they could not endure me, to wit, those ungratefull Jewes, or because of their false teachers, c of the phrase see Jud. 10 the annotate. On verse 16.] and their souls also loathed me. [see Matthew 27:21.]

9. And I said, [viz. unto those unthankfull Jewes; or as others understand it, unto the Jewish people in generall, as Matthew 23:37.] I will feed you no (more) [i.e. I, (viz. Christ) will take no further care on your behalf; I will preach the gospel o longer unto you, immediately by my selfe, nor mediately by others. Hereby the Lord implies, that he was resolved to cast off the Jews, because of their great unthankfulnesse, and to own them no more for his people. See Deuteronomy 31:17.] that which dies, let it die, and that which is cut off, be cut off, [the sense is, seeing you contemn and despise my instruction, even take what followes, and be subject to all the ensuing troubles and calamities, both foreign and intestine. See further verse 10 and Jeremiah 15:2. c. and Revelation 22:11.] and let the Remnant swallow the one the others flesh. [Hebr. The woman swallow the flesh of her she-friend or companion.]

10. And I [to wit, Christ] took my staff pleasantness, [see above verse 7.] and I broke the same, [thereby shewing, that he would guide and govern them no longer with that sweetness, as he was wont to do in the former times] making void my covenant, [which I had made with them on this condition, that they should walke in my precepts, Exodus 19:5, 6. Leviticus 26:3. Deuteronomy 28:1.] which I had made [see of this phrase gen. 15.18.] with all these nation. [understand the twelve tribes, which were to be looked upon as so many nations.]

11. Thus it was made void on that day, and so the afflicted ones among the sheep [see above verse 7.] that waited upon me, confessed, that it was the word of the LORD, [that is, came to passé thus, according to the word and pleasure of the LORD.]

12. For I had told them, if it be good in your eyes, bring my wages, ad if not, let it alone: [Here Christ renders the reason, why he had given over his care of feeding the Jewes any longer, and cast or cut off their shepherd. I had faith he, exhorted them, to bring them, to bring me my wages, that is, fruits worthy of repentance, that being the wages or amends, which I had deserved at their hands, for keeping and feeding them] and they have weighed my wages, thirty silverlings. [implying, that on the contrary, out of the bitter hatred which they bore him, they had weighed down money to his betrayer, by him to destroy me: see Matthew 26:15 and 27.9. valuing me at no higher a rate. See of the weighing of monies Genesis 23:16. Exodus 22:17. Ezra 8:25. Esther 3:9.]

13. Yet the LORD said unto me, throw it (away) for the potter, [Or unto, i.e. it be given to the potter and so straightway again in the same verse] a glorious price; which I have been counted worthy of by them: [Hebr. That glory, or excellency of the price, or worth, value. Understand this ironically spoken, to shew the vileneste and unworthinesse of the same] and I took the thirty silverlings and threw them (into) the house of the LORD, [i.e. into the temple] for the potter. [viz. to buy a potters field with it.]

14. Then I broke my second staff, (the) combinders, [see above verse 7] to make voyd the Brotherhood, between Juda and between Israel. [hereby is intimated, since Juda and Israel refused to acknowledge God’s grace and favour, when he would have joyned them together, and owned them both alike for his people and kept and fed them as his own flock; for which end and purpose he had sent severall prophets unto them; therefore he would trouble himself no further with them, to reunite them, but leave them in their divisions and to perish together.]

15. Moreover the LORD said to me, take thee yet [i.e. beside this] the furniture of a foolish shepherd. [the Heb. Word for furniture, signifies sometimes a shepherds pouch or wallet. 1 Samuel 17:40. sometimes a garmen, Deuteronomy 22:5. sometimes, all kind of furniture. Leviticus 5:4, &c. hereby is representd, as in a Type, the sottish and strange government of the Jews, after christs time; namely, how the same would be conditioned and managed, before its last and utter destruction.]

16. For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in this land, oth. Shepherds; understanding the scribes and Pharisees, as also other bad teachers, who should live in christs time, and be teaching of the people, others understand here, by the word shepherds, the bad governours that ruled the land of Judea] that which is ready to be cut ff [Heb. Those which are cut off. i.e. ready to be] he shall not visit, the young he shall not seek; [meaning the yong and tender lambs. Comp. this with Ezek34.2, &c] and the broken, [i.e. such as are hurt and wounded] he shall not care; and that which stands still, [as not able for weakness to follow the other. Oth. The standing one, i.e that which is in good health and well to passé yet; standing upon his own lesgs still] he shall not carry: [or, not apprehend, maintain, take care for, feed] but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, [viz. lamb] and he shall tear their clawes in pieces: [theirs namely, that stand still, and are not able to go further; being weak; and that by hard driving of them, over hills and dales, rocks and woods. Compare Jeremiah 23:2. Ezekiel 34:2, 3.4.]

17. Wo to the shepherd of nought, [oth. Wo to my shepherd of nought] the forsaker of the flock, the sword [i.e. the hand and the punishment of the LORD. Oth. Drought, see Deuteronomy 28:22. or the destruction, ruin, damage] shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall wither altogether, [Heb. Withering wither] and his right eye shall be altogether dark: [shall grow dark growing dark.]